Folding-machine.



PATENTED MAY 5, 1903.

E. DRAKE & H. FOLSOML FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILED APR. 16, 1902.

4 SHBETSSHEET 1.

N0 MQDBL.

,lllvlllllll |.||||||ll lllllwllLj IN VENTURE." fi' 0.14%

6 W ZM & I

THE Noam: PETERS cc, PHDYO-UTHQ. WASHINGTON u. c.

PATENTED MAY 5, 1903.

E. DRAKE & H. FOLSOM.

FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 16, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H0 MODEL.

\MTN 5555:

No. 727,313. PATENTED MAY 5, 1903. E. DRAKE & H. FOLSOM.

" FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APB 16,1902.

SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

///A ill INVENTEI R5:

\X/ITNEEEES.

5mm I Qua;

n: wail: PEYERS co., PHoYuuma, wuumcmu D, c

No. 727,313. 7 PATENTED MAY 5, 1903.. E. DRAKE & H. POLSOM. FOLDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR; 18, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

\X/iTNEiEEE: INVENTURE:

Patented May 5, 1903.

STATES IATENT OFFICE.

ELLIS DRAKE AND HANNIBAL FOLSOM, OF STOUGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO JOHN G. MOCARTER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FOLDING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,313, dated'llVIay 5, 1903. ApplicatiohfiledApril-IG,1902. Serial no. 103,098. Nomoclelfi T at whom it 1mtyc0n0ern:

Be it known that we, ELLIS DRAKE and HAN- NIBAL FOLSOM, of Stoughton, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have 5, invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for folding the edges of pieces of'leather or other mam terial, such as parts of boot and shoe uppers; and it has for its object to provide a machine adapted to progressively bend over and press the edge portion of a piece of material to form a folded edge, the folding action commencing at one end of the edge and progressing gradually along the same. 1

Theinventionconsistsin theimprovements which we will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,-Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a folding-machine embodying our invention. Fig. 2 represents an end elevation of the same. Fig.3 represents a partial side elevation taken from the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a section on the line t f Fig. 1. Fig. 5 represents a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, parts of the machine being omitted. Fig. 6 represents a View similar to Fig.2,showing parts of the machine in section and the covering-plate removed. Fig. 7 represents a view similar to a portion of Fig. 3, showing certain parts in section and illustrating the snippiug operation. Fig. 8 represents a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 represents a perspective view illustrating certain parts of the mechanism, and Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,15, 16, and 17 represent fragmentary views illustrating certain steps in the operation of the machine.

The same numerals of reference indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

On the drawings, 2 represents the table, which supports thepiece 3 of material, such as a vamp or other part of a boot or shoe, the edge of which is to be folded. Said table constitutes a part of the framework of the machine, which framework comprises a suitable base 4, a post or standard 5, rising from the base, its upper end being flush with and secured to the table, and an angular arm 6,which rises from the base and overhangs the post and table. As here shown, the table has an extension secured to an ear 8 on the arm 6, said eX- tension supporting the portion of the Work which is interposed between the post and the vertical portion of the arm and preventing the Work from coming in contact with the drivingshaft 9, which is journaled in hearings in the vertical portion of the arm and in the post and imparts motion to the folding and snipping mechanism, hereinafter described. The post 5 and arm 6 support means for intermittently grasping and imparting an edgewise forward 05 movement to the piece 3 of leather or other material, hereinafter termed the work, a downhold cooperating with the "table in holding the work against retrograde movement after the forward movement, means for bend- 7o ing one edge of the work over the body portion thereof as the work is fed along, and a presser-foot for pressing the bent-over portion or edge of the work downwardly againstv the body portion to form the folded edge, the said bent-over portion having been previously coated with cement, so' that the downward pressure of the said folded-over portion of the work against thebody portion by the presserfoot causes the two portions to adhere to each other, the line or area of adhesion extending progressively as the work is fed. Means are also provided for snipping or slitting the edge portion of the work or, in other words, forming cuts extending from the edge of the Work inwardly substantially at right angles with said edge, the said cuts being formed one at a time at a given point, so that the feeding of the work causes the cuts to be distributed along the edge of the work at substantially o uniform distances apart. The said snipping or slitting means are normally inoperative and are adapted to be broughtinto operation by the operator, so that they may be made operative when the edge portion of the work 5 is curved, the slits formed by the shipping mechanism enabling curved edges of the work to be smoothly folded withoutwrinkles or bunches. When the edge to be folded is substantially straight, the snipping mechanroe ism is allowed to remain inoperative. The

snipping mechanism is preferably organized so that it can be caused at the will of the operator to form either single slits without removing portions of the work (as when the snipped edge has a salient or outward curve) or compound slits involving the removal of V-sh'aped portions of the work, as when the snipped edge has a reentrant or inward curve.

The means for intermittently grasping and feeding the work comprise two jaws 10 11, having opposed segmental faces. The lower jaw 11 has a shank 12, which has a limited sliding movement in a socket formed in an oscillating carrier 13. Said carrier is fulcrumed at its lower portion on a fixed stud 14:, which enters a slot 15 in the carrier, and has a circular orifice which fits a cylindrical roll 16, mounted on a wrist-pin 17, projecting eccentrically from the end of the main driving-shaft 9, the eccentricity of said pin being such as to cause the carrier 13 to oscillate and to riseand fall on the stud 14 when the shaft 9 is rotating. The shank 12 rests on a spring 18, interposed between its lower end and the bottom of the socket in the carrier 13, so that the jaw 11 is pressed yieldingly upward, its upward movement being limited by slots 19 in the carrier and a pin 20, affixed .to the shank and projecting into the said slots. The upper jaw 10 has a shank 21, which has a limited sliding movement in a socket formed in an oscillating carrier 22. Said carrier is fulcrumed on a cylindrical roll 23, mounted to rotate on a stud 24, affixed to the machine-arm 6, said roll occupying a slot in the carrier 22. The upper end portion of the carrier 22 has an orifice 26, which embraces a wrist-pin 27, projecting eccentrically from the end of a shaft 28, journaled in bearings in the arm 6 and connected by sprocket-wheels 29 29 and a sprocketchain 30 with the driving-shaft 9. The rotation of the shaft 28 causes the upper-jaw carrier 22 to oscillate and move vertically on the roll 23, the. slot 25 permitting vertical movements of the upper jaw and its carrier. The upper jaw has a limited upward yielding movement in the socket of its carrier and is pressed yieldingly downward by a spring 31, interposed between the upper end of the shank of the upper jaw and the upper end of the shank-receiving socket in said carrier, the said yieldingly-upward movement being limited by slots 32, formed in the carrier 22, and a pin 33, affixed to the shank 21 and entering said slots. The feeding-jawsare shown in Fig. 6 in the position they occupy before grasping and feeding the Work, the jaws being separated and the upper jaw raised above the table, while the lower jaw is about flush therewith. The rotation of the shafts 9 and 28 causes the jaws to first approach each other and grasp the work, as shown in Fig. 10, then move to the left, as shown in Fig. 11, thus feeding the work, then separate, releasing the work, and then return to the first-described position. The springs 18 and 31 enable the jaws to conform to the thickness of the work.

The means for bending over the edge to be folded comprise a fixed projection 34, extending above the table and having a vertical face which is substantially parallel with the inner edge of the upper feeding-jaw and is in close proximity thereto, and a horn 35, affixed to said projection and projecting therefrom over the table. The edge to be folded is bent upwardly against the face of the projection 34, the upwardly-bent portion being carried by the movements of the work under the horn and turned thereby over the body of the work, as shown in Fig. 12. The upper jaw 10 projects from its shank toward the Vertical face of the projection 31 and is in close proximity to said face, so that it holds the body portion of the work down against the table and defines the angle or line of fold, as shown in Fig. 12.

36 represents the presser-foot, which is affixed to a presser-bar 37, the latter being vertically movable in guides in the arm of the machine and reciprocated by an eccentric 38 on the shaft 28 and a lever 39, fulcrumed at one end on an eccentric 40, hereinafter described, and engaged with said eccentric 38. The other end of the lever is forked, as shown in Fig. 8, the forked end embracing a collar 41, affixed to the presserbar. Said collar has shoulders formed to engage the forked end of the lever, as shown in Fig. 6. The presser-foot 36 is preferably resilient and is here shown as a loop, one

arm of which is affixed to the presser-bar,

while the other arm, which constitutes the acting portion of the presser-foot, is arranged to bear on the bent-over portion of the work and press the same closely against the body portion of v the work, as shown in Fig. 13, when the presser-foot is depressed, the portions thus pressed together having been previously coated with cement, so that the folded-over portion adheres to the body portion after passing from under the presser-foot.

42 represents an auxiliary spring presserfoot attached to the presser-bar and adapted to bear on the work and hold it against the table while the feeding-jaws are moving backwardly after releasing the work, thus preventing retrograde movement of the work, the auxiliary foot being arranged to bear upon and hold the work while the presserfoot 36 is descending and before it comes to a bearing on the bent-over portion. The eccentric 40, constituting the fulcrum of the lever 39, is adapted to be partly rotated by a levert3 to raise the resser-foot when it is desired to insert the work under the latter or to remove the work.

The means for snipping the work when the edge thereof is curved are as follows: 44 45 represent two oscillatory snippingknives pivoted at 46 to fixed ears 4'7, projecting above the table, each knife having an inclined shearing edge. 48 49 50 represent. inclined shearing-blades a'ffixed to the projections 34 and arranged so that one will codperate with the knife 44 and the other with the knife 45 in forming a slit in the edge portion of the work. The fixed shear-blades are arranged to support the edge portion of the work as first bent up before it is bent inwardly by the horn 35, as shown in Fig. 14:. Means are provided for operating only the knife 4% and forming a single slit 51, as shown in Fig. 16, when the edge to be snipped has an inward curve, and for operating both knives simultaneously and forming a V-shaped notch 52, as shown in Fig. 17, when the said edge has an outward curve. The said operating means comprise, first, an arm 53, affixed to the presser-bar and projecting over the knives, said arm being arranged so that when the presser-bar is in its lowest position a space will be left between the arm and the knives, and, secondly, fingers 5t 55, pivoted at 56 to a lever 57, which is fulcrumed at 58, said fingers being of different length, the longer finger bearing on the knife 44., while the shorter finger bears on the knife 45. The knives are normally raised by springs 59, their upward movement being limited by stop-ears (30, as shown in Fig. 5. The lever 57 is normally held by a spring 61 in the position shown in Fig. 5, the fingers 54 being thus withdrawn from the space between the arm 53 on the presser-bar and the knives, so that the knives are normally inoperative. The lever 57 is connected by a flexible connection 62 with a treadle, (not shown,) so that when the treadle is moved by the operator the fingers 54 55 are moved forward. If a single slit is to be cut, the operator moves the treadle far enough to bring only the longer finger 54; into the space between the arm 53 and the knives, thus causing the arm when it descends to depress only the finger 5a and with it the knife 44. If a V-shaped notch is to be cut, the operator gives the treadle a longer movement and brings both fingers into said space, thus causing the arm to depress both fingers and both knives.

From the foregoing it will be seen that we have provided a simple, compact, and relatively inexpensive machine adapted to progressively fold the edge of a piece of material whether said edge be curved or straight. It is obvious that a machine organized to fold an edge progressively or step by step is much less bulky and expensive than machines organized to fold the entire edge at one operation.

Our improvement is not limited to the details of mechanism here shown and described, and the same may be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

iVe claim 1. A folding-machine comprising a worksnpport, a fixed edge-bender projecting above the same, feeding jaws located beside the edge-bender, oscillatory carriers supporting said jaws, and means for imparting work grasping and releasing movements and workfeeding movements to said carriers, each aw having a limited yielding movement in its carrier.

2. A folding-machine comprising a worksupport, afixed edge-benderprojecting above the same, feeding-jaws located beside the edge-bender, oscillatory carriers supporting said jaws, eccentrics engaged with said carriers, and means for simultaneously revolving said eccentrics.

3. A folding-machine comprising a worksupport, an edge-bender,Work-feeding means, a presser arranged to compress the portion of the work turned by the edge-bender, mechanism for raising and depressing the presser, said presser having provisions for bearing yieldingly on the Work, and an auxiliary yielding presser movable with the work-compressing presser, and adapted to prevent retrograde movement of the work.

4. A folding-machine comprising a worksupport, an edge-bender, work-feeding means cooperating with said bender in turning the edge portion of the work progressively over the body portion, a presser for progressively compressing the turned portion, a movable shipping-knife having a shearing edge projecting over the edge portion of the work, a fixed shear-blade arranged to support the said edge portion, and means for operating the movable knife, said means being normally inoperative and adapted to be made operative by the operator.

5. A folding-machine comprising a worksupport, an edge-bender, work-feeding means cooperating with said bender in turning the edge portion of the work progressively over the body portion, a presser for progressively compressing the turned portion, two movable snipping-knives, each having a shearing edge projecting over the edge portion of the work, two fixed shear-blades arranged to support the said edge portion, the said movable and fixed blades being arranged to collectively make a V-shaped out in the work, and means for operating said knives, said means being normally inoperative and having provisions for making either one or both knives operative.

6. A folding-machine comprising a Worksupport, an edge-bender, work-feeding means cooperating with said bender in turning the edge portion of the work progressively over the body portion, a presser for progressively compressing the turned portion, two movable shipping-knives each having a shearing edge projecting over the edge portion of the work, two fixed shear-blades arranged to support the said edge portion, a reciprocating knifedepressing arm, fingers resting on the backs of the knives and adapted to be moved into and out of the path of said arm, one of said fingers being longer than the other, a springpressed lever normally holding said fingers out of the path of the arm, and means for IIO moving said lever to interpose one or both of edge-bender, and means for imparting work the fingers between the arm and the knives. grasping and releasing movements to the 7. In a machine of the character specified, jaws, the upper jaw being formed to define the combination with a presser-bar, of a lever the line of fold. l5 engaged with the bar, alever-operating eccen- In testimony whereof we have affixed our trio arranged to oscillate the lever, and an 1 signatures in presence of two witnesses. eccentric fulcrum for the lever, adapted to I ELLIS DRAKE. be adjusted to raise and depress the bar. IIANNIBAL FOLSOM.

8. A folding-machine comprising a work- 10 support, a fixed edge-bender projecting above the same, feeding-jaws located beside the Witnesses:

JOHN G. MCCARTER,

C. F. BROWN. 

